Dinwiddie: a challenging opener for No. 1 Varina

With the economy the way it is, the Varina football program went looking for a season-opening opponent that was closer to home than George Washington-Danville or Gar-Field.

Central Region Division 6 champion Varina wanted a quality opponent, as well.

The Blue Devils got what they wanted. And maybe more.

Ranked No. 1 in the preseason Times-Dispatch Top 10, Varina opens its season on the road at No. 7 Dinwiddie tonight. The Blue Devils' trip time to the southernmost outpost in the region is shorter by a few minutes. The Generals won the Division 5 region title and were state runners-up last year.

"Dinwiddie is one of most well-coached teams I've seen in my 16 years," Varina coach Stu Brown said. "They don't make mistakes. The defense doesn't give up big plays, and they can score on you any time."

Varina-Dinwiddie is one of the more intriguing pairings on the first big weekend of high school football in the Richmond area. Two other games pit two members of the top 10: No. 6 Meadowbrook at No. 2 Highland Springs and No. 8 Manchester at No. 5 Thomas Dale.

There are first-time meetings between Richmond city schools and Group AA opponents. Huguenot plays Monticello in Charlottesville tonight, and John Marshall journeys east to play Jamestown in Williamsburg tomorrow.

Powhatan and Midlothian play each other for the first time since 1985, and King William and New Kent match up for the first time since 2000.

Brown watched the Generals whip Poquoson, one of the top teams in the Group AA Bay Rivers District, 36-7 last week.

Chris Hall stepped into the quarterback vacancy left by record-setter and four-year starter Adam Morgan and threw for 248 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. He also rushed for 89 yards and scored a TD. Quintaze Jackson and Trey Gardner combined to catch 13 of Hall's 17 completions.

Defensive tackle Corey Marshall logged three sacks, 12 tackles and an interception. End Brian Belangia had two sacks and returned an interception 45 yards for a score.

"Dinwiddie is even more impressive in person," Brown said. "The athletes they put on the field play the game the way it's supposed to be played. They will walk on the field fully expecting to win."

With a game under their belts, the Generals have an advantage, according to Brown. A football maxim says teams make their biggest improvements between game one and game two.

"That's where me not getting any sleep comes in," Brown said.

The Blue Devils are replacing 13 starters, but like the Generals, the cupboard is not bare. Running back Trey Johnson led the region in rushing and was second in scoring last year. He and two-way lineman Marquis Wallace have committed to West Virginia University. Hermon Norrell threw for 21 TDs and nearly 1,500 yards last year, and he has an excellent receiver in Jerel Harrison.

"For us, they are as big or a bigger challenge than Phoebus (in last year's state championship game) was," Dinwiddie coach Billy Mills said. "This will be a great test for us to see what we have to do to be better."

Contact Arthur Utley at (804) 649-6559 or .